The new headquarters, high atop a hill in southern Cedar Rapids, is symbolic after record flooding through the city’s downtown filled the first floor of Diamond V’s offices in 2008.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds cut the ribbon to officially open Diamond V’s new global headquarters this afternoon in Cedar Rapids. The company also celebrated its 70th year in business.

The new headquarters, high atop a hill in the southern city limits of the city, is significant and symbolic after record flooding of the Cedar River through the city’s downtown filled the first floor of Diamond V’s offices in 2008.

The new 17,000 sq. ft. headquarters is located on a 77-acre campus. The company has been operating a new manufacturing plant at the site since 2009. Ground-breaking for that plant was done soon after the flood, and the company plans to double its footprint this year to increase plant capacity. The company continues to operate its original plant, which was also flooded in 2008.

The new headquarters features geo-thermal heating and cooling for even climate control. Offices are located on the perimeter of the building, with large windows, to allow for natural light. The second-story board room has uninterrupted windows that offer views of the rolling Iowa prairie and industrial skyline of southern Cedar Rapids.

Bloomhall actually choked up briefly during the ribbon cutting opening ceremony when he thanked Diamond V employees for all they have done through the flood recovery and plant and headquarters expansion. “You make us really, really proud,” he told the dozens of blue-shirted Diamond V employees present at the ceremony. “Thank you to all the blue shirts out there.”

Joel Newman, president of the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), also was on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony. He notes that high-tech products such as Diamond V’s yeast fermentation metabolites are needed to feed a hungry world.

Global population growth and rising incomes will mean the world’s farmers will have to produce 50% more food with existing land and water resources by 2050. He notes that the U.S. has 1.68 acres of arable land per consumer to meet this need. But other areas of the world are not nearly as fortunate. Europe has only one acre per capita; South America and Africa, three quarters of an acre/capita, and Asia, less than a third of an acre per person.

“Agriculture must invest in technology, research, global education, and feed and food security through Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Processes to meet this growing need,” he says. “As president of AFIA, I’m very proud that one of our prominent members, as Diamond V, is setting that bar high. Diamond V has an awful lot to be proud of.”